Anchor, hawse pipe, and hoist means



p 5, 1959 c. A. WINSLOW 2,903,989

- ANCHOR, HAWSE PIPE, AND HOIST MEANS Filed April 10. 1956 IN V EN TOR.

ANCHOR, HAWSE PIPE, AND HOIST lVIEANS Charles A. Winslow, Oakland, Calif.

Application April 10, 1956, Serial No. 577,419

10 Claims. (Cl. 114-479) The present invention relates to an automatic opening and closing anchoring device for boats, ships, etc., and has for one of its principal advantages an automatic folding means when the anchor is raised from the'bottom, which permits the anchor to be completely withdrawn into a hawser pipe without the necessity of manual assistance. Another principal advantage is that the anchor remains folded while being lowered until it strikes the bottom and tips over on its side. As soon as it is dragged along the bottom, it automatically opens with two'flukes on the lower side, positioned to dig in and hold until the anchor is submerged in the soft bottom, with two flukes dug in and one fluke folded. Another principal advantage resides in the fact that after the anchor'has dug in and has been submerged to the shank, from then on the third fluke opens up and prevents the anchor from digging in further. Thus, when fully submerged, three flukes are resisting further dragging of the anchor, and the anchor remains in operative position as long as it is lying down in a horizontal position. Another advantage of the anchor is that when it is in normal operation on the bottom with two flukes normally dug in, the third or top fluke is folded, therefore the slack in the anchor line cannot catch on a raised fluke as is common with conventional anchors. Thus, a boat or ship swinging on the anchor will not foul same with the swing of the slack anchor chain. A further advantage resides in the fact that when a power winch is used, no manual labor whatequipped with a power winch and control means to operate the present anchor invention. It also illustrates how the anchor comes up closed and positioned to be drawn and stowed snugly into a vessels hawser pipe by the simple means of a power operated winch. It clearly shows that when the invention is used on vessels with 1 overhanging or clipper type bows that all danger of foulsoever is required to lower, raise, stow or secure the anchor. This new anchor invention makes it possible to lower the anchor by the means of a power winch from the wheel house by simply pressing the down button which releases it from the hawser pipe. It remains closed until it reaches the bottom and then automatically opens for operation to anchor the vessel. Conversely, the anchor can be raised by simply pressing an up button in the wheel house whence the anchor is raised in the verti cal position, thus automatically folding and staying folded until it is completely withdrawn into the hawser pipe,

where, under slight strain, it automaticallylocks itself into the hawser pipe and prevents rattling or movement when stowed by the pull of the anchor winch only and without manual assistance.

Still other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the detailed description of the preferred embodiment selected for illustrative purposes, and from the accompanying drawings, whereinFigure l is a vertical sectional view of the anchor taken on [the line 11 of Figure 2, but showing the flukes in folded position, and also in dotted section the action of flukes and weight. Its normal closed position stowed in a hawser pipe is also indicated. v

Figure 2 is a bottom view, showing the anchor in open position.

Figure 3 is a horizontal view, illustrating how the anchor works to open and grip the bottom for holding a vessel when pulled horizontally on the bottom.

Figure 4 indicates a partial bow view of a vessel 4 the anchor.

ing the anchor flukes on the hull are eliminated. It also shows that in operation, it is only necessary for the vessel operator to go ahead slow While raising the anchor with the power winch, thus the anchor is automatically washed 01f, folded and stowed without manual labor, thus eliminating the hazard of someone falling overboard and/or scarring the painted and varnished surfaces of the vessel.

Figure 5 is a sectional view taken on the line 5 of Figure 1, and illustrates a form of the flukesv with the opening crown or flange shown horizontally positioned from the concave fluke.

Referring to the drawing, the anchor shank 10 is preferably made of tubing formed into a suitable eye 11 at thetop, and either threaded, welded or attached in some other suitable means to the conical base casting 12. Suitable hinge eyes 13 are formed on. the lower, wider extension of the base casting, terminating preferably in a triangle arrangement as shown on Figure 2. Concave flukes 14 are preferably used as they fit more readily into a hawser pipe for neat, compact stowing as is indicated "at 151617-'18 which outlines the form of a suitable hawser pipe in a vessel equipped to use the invention in combination with power means to completely control the operation of lowering, raising and stowing A weight 19 guided by the hollow shank 10, serves to contact earns 20 and close the hinged anchor flukes 14 which swing freely on hinge pins 21. The

dotted line 22 indicates the up position of the weight any closing effect on the earns 20 and flukes 14. They can swing freely until they are stopped by contact again with the weight 19 which is now hard up and stopped by the bottom end 24 of the shank 10. Thus, the flukes can swing free for a limited arc of travel as shown dotted section 23, bottom view Figure 2 and also Figure 3. After the anchor is lowered to the bottom and lays down, it normally comes to rest on the shank 1i) and crowns 25. As soon as it starts to move in a horizontal direction 26, Figure 3, the flanges or crowns 25 serve to'open the free swinging flukes 14, out and away from the shank, thus causing the lower points 27, shown in Figures 2 and 3, to dig in, pull the anchor down into the soft bottom as shown specifically in Figure 3. When the anchor is buried approximately to the lines indicated as '2-2, Figure 2 or 3--3, Figure 3, the upper fluke is then caused to open and resist any further digging down of the anchor as the maximum fluke area is then presented for anchoring purposes. Referring now preferably to the smaller sizes of the anchor invention, when it is used in areas when it may become fouled on roots, snags, rocks, etc., it may be more practical to employ safety shear pins than to lose a hopelessly fouled anchor.

I have, therefore, provided a safety feature in the anchor invention including predetermined strength shear pins 21, which will break before the hinged flukes 14, or cams 20. I have also vprovided a safetly flexible wire ring, 28, threaded through holes 29 in the camsv or levers 3 20. Thus, when a fluke 14 is released by a broken safety shear pin 11, the fluke is not lost, but raised with the wire ring 28 attached to the remaining fluke or flukes.

Referring to Figure 4, the anchor 30 shown vertically disposed and normally closed is indicated as hanging from a suitable and preferably tapered hawser pipe 31 installed in the clipper type how 32 of a conventional power cruiser 33. 34 indicates aconventional cable or anchor chain as desired, passing over a pulley 35 on deck, then down to the drum or pulley of a power driven anchor winch 36. The double pointed arrow indicates that the drum or pulley can be rotated either'way to raise or lower the anchor as desired without manual labor, even to completely stowing the anchor30 tightly and snugly in the hawser pipe 31. The anchor is locked tightly in the hawser pipe as soon as the flanges or crowns 25 contact the bead or rim of the hawser pipe 37 and more clearly shown at 15 and 18 of Figure 1. In other words, the crowns on flanges 25 tend to open and expand the anchor on contact with the rim of the pipe 31. The hawser pipe 31 is preferably open ondeck as well as the outboard end 37 for safety and cleaning purposes. A suitable deck cover can be provided, if desired, to cover the pulley 35 and seal the cable lead to the drum 36.

The above description and drawings clearly describe my invention, but I do not wish to limit myself to the details illustrated or described for the obvious reason that various modifications can be made in the size, form and structure of the device and its use without departing from the spirit of the invention. For instance, two, four or more flukes may be employed, or the guided gravity controlled weight may be outside the shank as well as inside, or the anchor may be made from stamping as well as cast, as shown.

Therefore, what I claim is:

1. A self-folding and self-opening anchor, comprising a shank having means for securing a cable to its normally upper end; aplurality of flukes pivotally mounted around the normally lower end of said shank and extending generally toward said'normally upper end, each fluke having a portion extending generally in from the pivot toward the axis of said shank; and a weight mounted for free sliding movement with respect to said shank and engaging said portions when in its lowermost position to swing said flukes automatically up close to said shank.

2. The anchor of'claim l wherein the pivotal mounting of said flukes to said shank comprises shear pins of predetermined strength serving as the pivots and wherein a continuous cable means passes through said flukes and said shank forretaining each of said'flukes in connection with said shank when said pins are sheared.

3., A self-folding and self-opening anchor, comprising a shankhaving means for securing a cable to a normally upper end; a'plurality of flukes radially disposed around and hingedwtoa normally lower end of said shank and extending generally toward said normally upper end, each flukehaving a concave surface adapted to nest around a portion of said shank and having a lever arm extending generally radially inwardly from the hinge; .and a Weight mounted for free sliding movement with respect to and retained and guided by said shank and engaging said lever arms at its lowermostposition to fold said flukes against said shank automatically by gravity in the absence of superior contrary force and hold them there until opposed by'forces sufficient to move said weight away from said normally lower end-and spread said flukes.

4. A self-folding and self-opening anchor, comprising a tubular shank having meansfor securing a cableto a normally upper end; a plurality of flukes hingedly mounted around-a normally lower end of said shank and extending-generally toward said normally upper end, each "fluke having a cam portion extending generally in toward the axis of said shank; and a weight freely slidably disposed in said shank, said weight, whenat said normally lower end, engaging said cam portions to fold sa d flukes upwardly-around said shank. a

4 5. A self-folding and self-opening anchor, comprising a tubular shank having ,a normally upper end and a normally lower end; a cable secured to said upper end; a plurality of flukes hingedly mounted around said lower end and extending generally toward said upper end, each fluke having a cam portion extending generally in toward the axis of said shank and short crown portion opposite the hinge and extending outwardly from the fluke, each fluke having a generally concave inner surface adapted to nest around said shank; and a weight disposed in said shank for relative free sliding movement, said weight when at said lower end engaging said cam portions to fold said flukes around said shank, said flukes being 'rality of flukes pivotally mounted around the other end spread when forces oppose said weight, and move it away from said lower end, said crown portions automatically spreading said flukes when the anchor is dragged in a generally horizontal position.

6. In an anchoring device for vessels, a shank with a cable attachment at one end and hinged flukes pivoted to theiother end, gravity means movably mounted with respect to said shank for engaging said flukes and swinging them closed against said shank and keeping them there when said anchoring device is being raised and lowered through said cable attachment, and projections on said flukes tor counteracting said gravity means and opening said flukes out from said shank when said ancho'ring device engages the ground or is dragged v horizontally. I r r I 7. -A self-loading and self-stowing anchor for vessels having a tapered hawser pipe, a cable extending through saidhawser pipe, and reversible power means for raising and lowering said cable, said anchor comprising a shank having an upper end adapted to be secured to said cable, and a lower end, a plurality of flukes hingedly mounted around the lower end of said shank and extending generally toward said upper end, each fluke having a cam portion extending generally in toward the axis of said shank; aweight mounted for free sliding movement with respect to said shank and engaging said cam portions at its lowermost position to fold said flukes around said shank automatically and hold them there when said anchor is lifted vertically, said anchor, when said flukes are "folded, being able to fit relatively snugly in said hawser pipe, said -flukes spreading out when striking bottom on being dragged horizontally; and flanges on said flukes adjacent'the hinged end thereof, said flanges extending radially'outwardly and adapted to be engaged against the lower endof' said hawser'pipe when said anchor is stowed by thetension of said cable on said shank, thereby swinging said flukes out to spreadsaid anchor into locking engagement with said hawser pipe.

8. A self-stowing anchor for vessels having a cable means for raising and lowering said cable, and a tapered hawser pipe through which said cable extends, said pipe having 'a 'lower end, said anchor comprising a shank adapted'to be secured at one end to said cable; a pluof said shank and extending generally toward said one endyeach fluke having a lever arm extending generally radiallyinwardlyfrom the pivots; a weight mounted for free sliding movement with respect to said shank and engaging "said lever arms when said shank hangs vertically freely from said cable, said weight acting on said lever arms to fold said flukes up against said shank automatically and hold them there when said anchor is outwardly and adapted to be engaged against the lower end of said hawser pipe when said'anchor is stowed, to

*swing 'said flukes out and lock said anchor into said hawser pipe.

9. anchoring'system for vessels'that is self-loading and 'self-stowing, including in combination a tapered hawser pipe having conical walls at a lower end with a beaded nm around a"loweredgethereof; a cable extending through said hawser pipe; reversible power means for raising and lowering said cable; an anchor having a shank with a lower end and an upper end secured to said cable, a plurality of flukes hingedly mounted around said lower end of said shank and extending generally toward said upper end, each fluke having a cam portion extending generally in toward the longitudinal axis of said shank, a weight mounted for free sliding movement with respect to said shank and engaging said cam portions at its lowermost position to fold said flukes around said shank automatically and hold them there when said anchor is lifted vertically, said anchor, when said flukes are folded, being able to fit relatively snugly in said hawser pipe, said flukes spreading out when striking bottom on being dragged horizontally, and flanges on said flukes adjacent the hinged end thereof, said flanges extending radially outwardly; said bead at the lower edge of said hawser pipe engaging said flanges when said anchor is stowed by the tension of said cable on said shank, thereby opening and expanding said anchor by swinging said flukes out into engagement with the walls of said hawser pipe.

10. In an anchoring system for vessels having a cable and means for raising and lowering said cable, the combination therewith of a tapered hawser pipe through which said cable extends, said hawser pipe having a conical lower portion and a lower end; and an anchor,

having an anchor shank secured at one end to said cable, a plurality of flukes pivotally mounted around the other end of said shank and extending generally toward said one end, each fluke having a lever arm extending generally radially inwardly from the pivvots, a weight mounted for free sliding movement with respect to said shank and engaging said lever arms when said shank hangs vertically freely from said cable, said weight acting on said lever arms to fold said flukes up against said shank automatically and hold them there when said anchor is lifted vertically, and flanges on said flukes extending radially outwardly; said hawser pipe being tapered to fit the general exterior shape of said anchor when said flukes are folded, the lower end of said hawser pipe en gaging said flanges when said anchor is stowed, to open and expand said anchor by swinging said flukes out into engagement with said hawser pipe, thereby securing and locking the anchor in place.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 31,276 Winans et a1 Ian. 29, 1861 652,162 Blackburn June 19, 1900 1,918,119 McPheeters July 11, 1933 2,282,566 Danforth May 12, 1942 2,315,513 Fitzgerald Apr. 6, 1943 2,701,539 Morel Feb. 8, 1955 

